Id alk



(No Model.)

J. BLAIR 8a A.. G. HUNTER.

PYROGHEMIGAL BATTERY. 110.446,72?. Patented Peb. 17,1891.

a III rrED STaTl-is atrJENT JOHN DLATR, or NoRTn oRiLLIA, AND ALEXANDER c. HUNTER, or DUN- lDALE, ONTARIO, OANArm.

PYRO-CHEVICAL BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application letl June 25, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN BLAIR, of the township of North Orillia, in the county of Y Simcoe, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,

and ALEXANDER GOKEY HUNTER, of the town ot- Dundalk, in the county of Grey, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have j oint-ly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pyro-Chemical Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to produce a battery or cell capable of generating in a cheap and effective manner a constant ilow of electricity adapted for usein incandescent or arc lighting or all purposes to which elec tricityis applied; and it consists, essentially, of a cell containing a series of composite plates, cach formed of aniron plate separated from two carbon plates by prepared absorbent septa or partitions, the whole being clamped together, the chemically-active plates being connected by `a wire with the chemicallypassive plates in the successive composite plates in the usual manner. The lower part of the cell, which is open, is fixed on a box or vessel charged with materials in which a chemical transfer Ot elements is caused by the application ot heat, and the gas thus formed escapes and generates by means ot the plates a current of electricity, substantially as hereinafter specified.

Figure l is a perspective view view of our improved cell and gas charger, partially broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail ot' one of the composite plates.

Like let-ters indicate similar-,parts iu the different figures.

In Fig. LA is a box or cell of suitable siz'e open at the bottom and fitted into a box or gas-charger B and resting on a ledge l) in said gascharger. lVithin this cell A are placed at suitable intervals composite plates C, composed of an iron plate c, prepared absorbent septa or partitions tl, and carbon platos c, bound together by clamps f, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, or any other suitable manner.

o are clips passing over the carbon plates c, to which are attached wires 7L, leading to the leg fr', attached to the iron plate o in the adgommg composite plate. rlhese composite atent No. 446,727, dated February 17', 1891.

Serial No. 356,684. (No model.)

plates C may be placed in the cell at intervals of half an inch or more apart.

In charging the cell we resort to several formule for generating the gas required to render the cell active in the production of electricity, the cell becoming active with any charge in which a chemical transfer of elements is caused by the application of heat.

To charge the cell A we lill the gas-charger B preferably with (l) a mixture otu eight ounces ot' chloride of sodium, (common salt,) three ounces of sulphuric acid, and four ounces otl water; or (2)1iour ounces of chloride ot' sodium, one ounce of black oxide of manganese, two ounces of sulphuric acid,and two ounces of water; or (3) two parts of chloride of sodium, one fourth part of soda nitrate, and one-half part of snlphuric acid and one part of water. On heat being applied to the gas-charger hydrochloric-acid gas or chlorine gas, as the case may be, is given ott and ascends or is forced up into the cell A, in which the composite plates B are placed, which take in, absorb, and store up the said ascending gas, which meets with moisture in said plates, causing them to give out eventually, when the terminalsJ arejoined,astrong and steady current ot electricity. The electric motive force, which is iirst at Zero, (0,) gradually rises as the heating of the gas-charger B and the inn terior of the cell A increases, Aand when the cell has reached a temperature of 140o Fahren heit it has also reached its maximum working-power.

D is a thermometer inserted in the cell A to indicate the internal heat, and E is a pipe to facilitate, if desired, the introduction of the several liquid elements used in the pro duction of the gases. lleat may be applied to the gas-charger and cell from a furnace or otherwise.

Our cell is accu mulative and acts in a double capacity, either as a primary or a storage cell. The gas or charge which is stored up in said cell can be reserved for an indefinite time and used at will without the aid of heat.

The cells may be made any desired size or shape, and may contain any number of plates as described, all of which may be coupled in series or parallel, according to the purposes TOO for which they may be required. fhcn in action, the cells are absolutely constant and in practice runat atempcrature ot' from 10U@ to 1GOO Fahrenheit and give out a steady electric current.

That we claim as our invention isl. In a pyro-chemical battery, a cell communicating with a gas-charger charged with materials in which a chemical transfer ol' elcments is caused by the application of heat and a `gas evolved capable ol acting on an iron plate, and one or more composite plates Iixed in said cell, each formed of an iron plate separated from two carbon. plates by prepared septa or partitions and clamped together, theascen din g gas generatingby means of said composite plate or plates and conmeeting-Wires a current ol' electricity, substantially as described and specilied.

2. In the cellA et a pyro-chemical battery, the combination of an iron plate c, partitions d, and carbon plates c, clamped together to form the composite plate C and operated to produce a current of electricity, substantially as described and specified.

3. In a pyro-chemical battery, a gas-charger B, adapted to contain a mixture in the proportion el eight ounces of chloride of sodium, three ounces of sulphuric acid, and l'our ounces ot' water chemically combined by the application of heat so as to evolve hydrochloricacid gas or any equivalent mixture capable of producing` chlorine or a `fas which acts on iron, in combination with a cell A, communicating with said gas-charger Il and containing a composite plate C or aserics thereof arranged and operated lto produce a vflow of electricity, substantially as described and specified.

l. In a cell A of pyro-chemical battery, the composite plate C or a series thereof adapted to store the gas or charge evolved from the gas-charger 13, and to produce, when desired, a flow of electricity without the aid of heat, substantially as described and specified.

JOI-IN BLAIR. In presence of- HUGH JOHNSTON, HENRY F. HUNTER.

ALEXANDER e. HUNTER'. In presence 0- SAML. S. ROBINSON, R. R. SLAVEN. 

